President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) spoke about the controversy with right-wing parties in the Portuguese parliament involving his visit and said that “people are not obliged to like Lula”, in an interview with the Portuguese vehicle RTP Notícias.
The Brazilian president could participate in the solemn session commemorating the Carnation Revolution, on Monday (24), in the Portuguese parliament. But he decided not to include the event on the agenda after right-wing parties said they would not accept Lula’s participation in the event.
“I don’t know about the controversy, but it’s quite possible. In Portugal, it also seems to me that there is a certain polarization, a more extreme right-wing side with the other political parties. I don’t have any problems, I didn’t come here to enter into controversy with the Portuguese parliament”, said Lula in the interview.
“I came here invited to do a task, to fulfill an agenda and I will fulfill it without any problem. People are not obliged to like Lula, they are not obliged to like the president of Brazil. What is important is that people respect the institutions of their country and the authorities of other countries”, he added. “It is not an opposition that will stop me from coming.”
understand the controversy
It all started when the Portuguese Minister of Foreign Affairs, João Gomes Cravinho, announced the PT’s presence at the April 25 session, provoking revolt from parties such as the Social Democratic Party (PSD), “Chega” and the Liberal Initiative (IL).
Right-wing parties say they are bothered by Lula’s recent statements about the war in Ukraine.
According to the CNN Portugal the PSD stated that it did not accept that the Brazilian president spoke at the Assembly of the Republic during the solemn commemorative session, and the IL leader declared that the deputies would leave the place if that happened.
After a meeting with party leaders, it was agreed that Lula would be received in another welcome session.
According to the official agenda of parliament, the welcome session for the Brazilian president will take place at 10 am (Lisbon time), on Monday, in the plenary of the Assembly. The Carnation Revolution session will take place from 11:30 am.
Even if the Brazilian president does not make a speech in honor of Portugal’s 25th of April, Lula is likely to have a hectic welcome session.
A CNN Portugal reported that at least two parties plan to hold protests against the PT – motivated above all by recent controversial statements about the war in Ukraine.
On Friday (21), Ukrainians in Portugal gathered in front of the Brazilian embassy in Lisbon to protest against Lula’s arrival in the country.
Lula denies having equalized responsibilities, but says that neither Russia nor Ukraine want to stop the war
President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT) said, on Saturday morning (22), that he had “never” equalized the responsibilities of Russia and Ukraine in relation to the war, but also stated: “Russia does not want to stop, Ukraine does not wants to stop.”
The statements were given during a press conference that the PT member granted alongside Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, with whom he met, in Lisbon.
Lula was questioned by reporters about his recent positions expressed on the conflict between Russia and Ukraine, such as pointing out that the US and the EU would have allowed the conflict to be prolonged and that the battle decision would have been taken “by two countries”.
*With information from Léo Lopes and CNN Portugal
Source: CNN Brasil
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